Capping machine



Jan. 21, 1930. H. J. LEBHERZ GAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug. 16. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR. cffe flaz'z,

ATTORNEY Jan. 21, 1930. H. J. LEBHERZ GAPP-ING menus Filed Aug. 1,6, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 I III III ol II VI II II II- INVENTOR.

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& W ATTQRNEY7 Jan. 21', 1930. H. J. LEBHERZ 1,744,076

CAPPING MACHINE Filed Aug- 16. 1928 3 SheetsSheet 3 INVENTOR.

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B W A TTORNEY Patented Jan. 21, 1930 UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY J'. LEBHERZ, F FREDERICK, MARYLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE EVEREDY COM- PANY, 0F FREDERICK, MARYLAND, A

CORPORATION OF MARYLAND CAIPIN G MACHINE Application'filed August 16, 1928. Serial No. 300,010.

My invention relates broadly to capplng machines andmore particularly .to an attachment for cappingmachines whereby various sizes of crown caps-may be. applied to difi'en ently sized receptacles- One ot the objects of my invention is to provide an attachment for the capping throat of a bottle cappingmachineby which: crown capsof diiferentsizesmay be pressed upon jars or receptacles of different sizes.

Another object of my invention is to provide a constructionof cappingihead fora receptacle capping. machine by which: a cap of a selected size may be pressed over thetop of a receptacleandthe same capping head employed for operating upona receptacle of a different size.

Still another. object of -my invention is to provide a construction. of capping f throat having a multiplicity of lug'members struck from the material ofthecappingthroat for engaging the annular rim orf acappinghead for adapting a bottlecapper for operation 011 diiferent sized jars or receptacles.

2 A further object of my invention is to pro videa construction:ofimultiple diameter cap:-

pingthroat for a capping'machine adaptedto readily presscaps of selected sizes upon re ceptacl'esrof different sizes without employing 30. different machines:

for effecting such operations.

Myinvention will-be more fullyunderstood from the specification: hereinafter following by reference to the accompanying drawings,

in which Figure 1 is: a side elevation of thebottle capplngmachine of'my invention; Fig. 2i-s an end View: of the bottle capping machine of my invention; F ig. 3 is a fragmentary View out throat of Fig. 7 and Fig. 9 shows the cappingmechanism and a modified form of cap ping throat employing the principles of my lnvention.

In my copending application Serial No. 215,926, filed August 27, 1927, I have disclosed a capping machine including a pair of standardseach having a rack with a capping ele ment carried between the standards and free 1y movable relative to the racks. I provide means for actuating the capping element consisting ofa pair of elements connected with the capping element and having teeth which engage with eachother to transmit the movement of one to the other, and having teeth which are movableinto mesh with the racks of the standards to move the capping element. The elements within the capping element are movable out of mesh with the racks to allow the capping element to be moved freely rela tively to the racks of the standards.

Heretofore, a machine of this type has been employedfor the purpose of capping a bottle of standard size. It is the object of my present invention to provide means for capping bottles or jars of different sizes. I provide an attachment for the capping throat of the capping element, which attachment may have a multiplicity of difl ere'nt diameters to efieet the capping of jars or receptacles of difierent diameters. The attachment may be readily applied to the capping throat of a standard capping machine for accommodating the capping machine for operation on jars or receptacles of selectedsizes. I may also construct the capping throat of a plurality of diiierent diameters coextensive one with the other whereby crown caps may be pressed upon a bottle of standard size or larger crown caps may be pressed upon receptacles or jars of selected size.

My invention will be more clearly understood by detailed reference to the drawings wherein reference character 1 designates a base member to which the vertically extend ing standards 2 and 3 are attached, the standards each having a rack designated at 4 and 5. The capping element consists of a vertically movable frame 6' which embraces the T shapedstandards Zand 3-as shown inFig. 5

and movable with respect thereto by the arrangement of the gear elements 8 and 9. The gear element 9 is journaled at 10 in the capping element 6. The gear element 8 is provided with an enlarged bearing 12 which is journaled in the capping element 6. Gear 8 is connected by means of rivets 11 to the forked lever 14. The gears 8 and 9 mesh with the teeth of racks 4 and 5 respectively and are maintained in a normal position by the engagement of gear 8 with a laterally extending member 16 which protrudes through arcuate shaped slots 15 and connects at each side thereof with spring members 17 secured to a fixed point on the capping element 6. The capping head 18 is secured to the capping element 6 by suitable means indicated at 19. The capping head 18 has an annular flange 20 connected thereto and to this annular flange the device of my invention is arranged to be connected. lhe capping throat of my invention is shown at 21 as having a multiplicity of sections each having differing diameters as represented at 22 and 23. The top of the capping throat is provided with a multiplicity of outstruck lugs integral with the material of the capping throat.

In Figs. 7 and 8 outstruck lugs are shown at 24, 25 and 26 cut from the material of the capping throat leaving apertures 24, 25" and 26. respectively. These lugs extend vertically upwardly and are bent at right angles to embrace the laterally extending annular flange 20 of the capping head. In order to maintain the attachment in position, I provide a spring lug member 27 which is struck from the material of the capping throat lea"- ing aperture 27 therein. The lug 27 has sufiicient resiliency to snap beneath the annular edge of the capping head and maintain the attachment in position with respect to the capping head. The capping throat may be readily withdrawn by a sidewise movement in a direction away from the resilient lug member 27.

In Figs. 3 and 4 I have shown the capping throat employed for effecting a capping operation of a jar or receptacle. A receptacle of smaller size may have a crown cap of correspondingly smaller size passed thereon by utilizing the diameter 22 of the capping throat. The end wall 32 of the capping throat normally closes the entrance of the capping head rendering the capping head ineffective for applying crown caps to bottles. In instances where it is desired to provide a universal machine for capping not only jars but also applying crown caps to bottles without modifying the capping machine, I provide a construction as shown in Fig. 9 where the capping throat has a multiplicity of integrally connected portions each of different diameters as illustrated at 31, 33 and 34. By this means a crown cap may be applied to a bottle or a cap may be applied to a jar or receptacle by selecting the proper diameter of the capping throat required for a particular ar or receptacle.

I have found the machine of my invention extremely practical in its construction, and while I have described my invention in certain preferred embodiments, I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that no limitations upon my invention are intended other than are imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is as follows:

1. In a capping machine having a vertically movable capping element, a capping head, an annular flange extending from said capping head, an attachment having means engaging the annular flange on said capping head, said attachment having a multiplicity of sections each different in diameter, each of said sections being arranged to embrace a crown cap of selected size for effecting a capping operation upon a receptacle of corresponding size.

2. In a capping machine a vertically movable element, a capping head carried by said element for normally applying crown caps to bottles, and an attachment for said capping head comprising a capping throat having a multiple number of different diameters for embracing a crown cap of selected size for individually pressing a cap of selected size upon a receptacle of corresponding size.

3. In a capping machine a vertically movable capping element, a capping head carried thereby for normally applying crown caps to bottles and an attachment for said capping head comprising a throat member having a multiple number of sections each of different diameter for individually applying crown caps of selected sizes to receptacles of corresponding size, said attachment having a top portion normally closing said capping head when said capping machine is employed for applying a crown cap to receptacle of a diameter larger than the diameter of said capping head.

4. In a capping machine a vertically movable capping element, a capping head carried thereby for normally applying crown caps to bottles, and an attachment for said caping head comprising a throat member having a multiple number of sections each of different diameter for individually applying crown caps of selected sizes to receptacles of corresponding size, said attachment having a top portion normally closing said capping head when said capping machine is employed for applying a crown cap to a receptacle of a diameter different from the diameter of said capping head.

5. In a capping machine a vertically movable capping element, a capping head carried by said capping element, an annular flange integral with said capping head, an attachment for said capping head comprising a pressed metal member rality of sections of diflerent diameters terminating in an end Wall, a plurality of lugs struck from said end Wall, one of said lugs being arranged to resiliently engage said capping head beneath the annular flange thereof, While the others of said lugs are arranged to engage the upper surface of the annular flange of said capping head for retaining said attachment in position With respect to said capping head.

6. In a capping machine a vertically movable capping element, a capping head carried by said capping element, an annular flange integral With said capping head, an attachment for said capping head comprising a pressed metal member having a plurality of sections of different diameters terminating in an end Wall, a plurality of lugs struck from said end wall, one of said lugs being arranged to resiliently engage said capping head beneath the annular flange thereof, the others of said lugs including a pair of dia metrically opposed lugs arranged to grip the annular flange of said capping head for maintaining said attachment in position for applying crown caps to receptacles of a size different from the diameter of said capping head.

7. In a capping machine a vertically movable capping element, a capping head carried by said capping element, an annular flange on said capping head, and an attachment for said capping head comprising a member having a multiple number of sections of differing diameters terminating in an end plate, said end plate having tWo diametrically opposed pairs of upstruck lugs, one pair of said lugs and an individual one of the other pair of said lugs being arranged to engage the upper side of said annular flange, While the other of said lugs of said last mentioned pair of lugs operates as a spring lock beneath said annular flange for maintaining said attachment in position With respect to said capping head.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

HARRY J. LEBHERZ.

having a plu-i 

